Manyi and leadership of ATM accused of money laundering

Mzwanele Manyi speaks at the commission of inquiry into state capture held in Johannesburg, 26 November 2018. Picture: Refilwe Modise

He, however, says the allegations are all rubbish and that he is going to sue the person behind them.

The All Africa Decolonisation Congress (AADC), the organisation that Mzwanele Manyi was meant to establish but put to the side when he rather joined the African Transformation Movement (ATM), has accused him of conducting “fraudulent activities”.

A statement issued by the AADC, which is circulating on social media, and lists Edward Olebogeng Mokomele as the organisation’s acting national spokesperson, further alleges that Manyi met with the controversial Gupta family “to discuss funding” for the party.

During a press briefing on Wednesday to announce Manyi joining the ATM to head up its policy and strategy division, he dismissed allegations that he had met the Guptas to raise funds for the AADC.

In the statement, the AADC claim that Manyi and the leadership of the ATM “are laundering money” through the churches that are supporting the organisation.

During the briefing on Wednesday, the president of the ATM Vuyolwethu Zungula said that although the party was founded by spiritual leaders, it was not an extension of the church but rather a political party, with Manyi saying the ATM was funded by its members.

The AADC claim that Manyi had “insisted that we join hands with the [ATM]”, however, Manyi said on Wednesday during the briefing that he halted his plans to establish the congress after he was convinced to join the ATM.

According to the statement circulating social media, Manyi has been dismissed from the AADC for meeting with the Guptas to source funding, his insistence that the organisation join forces with the ATM, and the money laundering allegation.

The organisation said it had distanced itself from Manyi “and all his fraudulent activities”.

“We wish to condemn activities of this nature to happen in South Africa if we want to achieve freedom and justice in our land.”

Manyi said the allegations made by the organisation were “all rubbish” and that he was going to sue the party.

Mokomele confirmed to The Citizen that the statement was issued by the AADC.

Manyi, according to Mokomele, travelled abroad on December 19, returning between the 22nd and the 23rd of the same month, to source funding for the AADC.

However, Mokomele added, on his return, Manyi failed to disclose who the potential funders he had met overseas were, adding that members of the organisation were able “to connect the dots” that it had been the Guptas after it was reported in the media a few days after Manyi’s return that the controversial family might return to the country.

Mokomele said the AADC could not at this stage give concrete evidence to prove its allegation that Manyi and the leadership of the ATM were laundering money through the churches that funded the movement, however, he said the congress was working on gathering this evidence and would disseminate it once this had been concluded.

Mokomele said Manyi had sent him a text message on Thursday afternoon threatening to sue him “and take [him] to jail”, which the AADC spokesperson said begged the question why an innocent person would make such a threat.

The screenshot of the text message Manyi allegedly sent to Mokomele.

The AADC spokesperson said the fact that Manyi made the announcement that he was joining the ATM without first discussing this decision with the leadership of the congress was a clear indication that he undermined it.

Mokomele said the party had not registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) but was making progress in this regard.

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